DHAKA: A hospital in north-west Syria backed by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has been destroyed in an air strike.

The medical charity said eight members of staff were missing after the attack in Maarat al-Numan, but it did not identify who was responsible.

One monitoring group reported that at least nine people were killed and that Russian aircraft had targeted the town, the BBC says.

The strike comes days after Russia and other world powers agreed to a limited cessation of hostilities in Syria.

More than 250,000 people have died in almost five years of war in Syria.

Eleven million others have fled their homes as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his rule battle each other, as well as jihadist militants from so-called Islamic State (IS).

Separately on Monday, Turkey issued new threats to Kurdish forces who have made ground in northern Syria, saying it would not allow them to take the key border town of Azaz.

BDST: 1954 HRS, FEB 15, 2016
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